WINTERWINTER 2020 2020 OAKWOODMAGAZINE.COMOAKWOODMAGAZINE.COM M A G A Z I N E Alumni Homecoming Simple Tips 3for Healthy & Graduation Eating in 2020 2019 What's Good About an MPH? Check out Oakwood’s new Master of Public Health Program Contents DIVISION UPDATES 18 Academic Administration 2nd Annual Social Work Day at the MAGAZINE United Nations OU Literary Guild and its Affiliates Join the Literary Conversation EDITORIAL STAFF Allied Health Students Visit Publisher: Oakwood University Andrews University Editor: Cheri Wilson Oakwood University Hosts the Associate Editor: Maquisha Mullins Adventist English Association Managing Editor: Debbe Millet Conference Art Director: Ron J. Pride “An Army, Rightly Trained” and On Photographer: Teymi Townsend the Move Circulation Manager: Dianne Cheddar The Literacy Factory Videography: Oakwood University Broadcasting 12 Network (OUBN) 32 Mission, Enrollment Services & ............................................................................................................................ Retention Oakwoodites Serve in Mission OAKWOOD UNIVERSITY OFFICERS A Message from the President Field: Guatemala Leslie N. Pollard 5 PRESIDENT My Gratitude List WINTER 2020 34 Advancement & Development Colwick M. Wilson A Special Thanks for Giving PROVOST What's Good About an MPH 6 Beyond The Oaks Dr. Sherine Brown-Fraser's Public Health journey Sabrina R. Cotton Alumni News VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION Alumni Homecoming David A. Knight 10 VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT SERVICES Remembering Homecoming 2019 Prudence L. Pollard VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH & FACULTY The Look of Legacy DEVELOPMENT 12 A picture gallery of Oakwood Legacy Families David Richardson VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION, ENROLLMENT SERVICES & RETENTION 16 Oakwood Commencement 2019 ............................................................................................................................ Experience the highlights of graduation, again OAKWOOD MAGAZINE, the official journal of Oakwood To Shine By Night University, is published by the Office of Integrated Marketing 43 & Public Relations, Oakwood University. Joel Kibble reminds us that it’s our job to reflect Jesus’ light Email: [email protected] Address editorial correspondence and/or questions to us at Presidents & Precedents of the Office of Integrated Marketing & Public Relations 44 7000 Adventist Boulevard, NW Oakwood University Huntsville, Alabama 35896 Dr. Mervyn Warren refects on the leaders of (256) 726-7202 Oakwood www.oakwoodmagazine.com 16 www.newsroom.oakwood.edu Endnotes Available 47 anywhere you go! ............................................................................................................................ All I Have To Give Keep up with Oakwood Mag Printing & distribution: College Press online at: 4981 Industrial Dr, Collegedale, TN 37315 (423) 396-2164 | www.cplitho.com Share Your Good News with the Oakwood Family ON THE COVER: Graduates Queanna Osborne and Kwame Amponsah All Oakwood Alumni are invited to share your special milestones—that have occurred within the last 12 months—with the Oakwood family, including: child births, graduations, new share in the excitement of graduation. positions/promotions/certifications, article/book publications, memorials, etc. If possible, please include a high-resolution digital photo suitable for publication (.jpg, .png, or .gif format; PHOTO BY TEYMI TOWNSEND under 2MB in size; 300 dpi or the largest size possible for print). Submissions may be edited, and placement is at the discretion of the editorial team. Send by email to [email protected]. Dr. Sherine Brown-Fraser leads Oakwood’s new Master of Public Health Program 2 [ Oakwood Magazine ] WINTER 2020 PHOTO BY TEYMI TOWNSEND WINTER 2020 [ Oakwood Magazine ] 3 from the President Leslie N. Pollard, Ph.D., D.Min., MBA Deliciousness: My Gratitude List very day something exciting the top 10 HBCUs in the United States. We happens at Oakwood University! Every page of this issue shares just a little remain grateful that Diced, Dipped, Delivered. Eof the story of accomplishments and events that Oakwood stands out have advanced the institution over the past few in multiple publics months. God’s blessings are too numerous to tell, as an outstanding institution of higher so where should we begin? Drs. Leslie and Prudence Pollard and their family It was a joy to speak to the inaugural International education. Praise God! Summit of Colleges, Universities, and Ministers of Our Oakwood Education at the United Nations in September. The Farms Market and farm-to-table Bistro will move purpose of the summit was to create partnerships from vision to reality when it opens during the first between institutions committed to “advancing quarter of 2020. I am grateful for this addition to quality education for all persons of African descent.” our industry recovery strategy. We shared with them regarding the Consortium We will break ground on our 9000 sq. ft. state- of African Adventist Universities and Partners of-the-art Community Health Action Clinic, on our (CAAUP), which has 16 member institutions. Oakwood East Campus, in 2020. Huntsville Hospital has University founded this organization in 2012 and partnered with us to develop the clinic on the it has been a blessing to our faculty who have west wing of the facility, and the service learning Catering operations will be housed on the east wing of the participated in the faculty exchange within the Hand-Crafted Fruit Platters & Snack Bundles Delivered To Your Next Event Diaspora. building. I am grateful to the donors who will enable Oakwood University cannot succeed without us to bring the vision of this facility to reality. Get healthy, creative catering options for the support of our faithful and generous community On a personal note, God has allowed Prudence corporate functions, lunches, or parties. to help us reach our goal of a $20 million dollar and me, who met as students at Oakwood University, Call today to learn more about endowment by 2020. Maybe you made your gift to celebrate our 40th year of a wonderful marriage. our next-day catering on Giving Tuesday, when we exceeded our $25,000 We are grateful every day for the family He has & fruit delivery. goal—and $31,780 was raised in one day! Or perhaps given us. I am grateful that God set a new direc- our alumni and friends who are Federal employ- tion in our histories and is blessing the next ees and retirees contributed to support Oakwood generation. through the recent Combined Federal Campaign Finally, I am grateful for the spirit of min- (#96964). Whatever you have done, we continue to istry, service, and sacrifice that is embodied in thank you for your support of Oakwood University. the dedicated and hard-working administrators, faculty, and staff of Oakwood University. I am MY GRATITUDE LIST also deeply grateful for the students, alumni, If you “google” the word gratitude, you see an friends, ministers and members of the Huntsville faith community, and all who work with us in Call toll-free to order! We deliver throughout the U.S. avalanche of positive research showing the health Share benefits of living with gratefulness (e.g. greater varying capacities in support of the mission of “a L ve, resilience, healthy optimism, less stress, higher place called Oakwood.” In the words of the apostle 1-844-FRUIT-OU SUPPORT endorphin levels, better relationships, etc). My Paul, “I thank God always when I remember you” STUDENTS personal list has over 100 things I’m grateful for, (Philippians 1:3). 1-844-378-4868 . so I’ll share just a few. In 2019 Oakwood University was ranked among Proceeds from all sales placed by calling 1-844 FRUIT-OU go to Containers may vary. Edible Arrangements®, the Fruit Basket Logo, and other marks mentioned herein are registered trademarks of Edible Arrangements, LLC. All rights reserved. support Oakwood University. WINTER 2020 [ Oakwood Magazine ] 5 New Start in Public Health WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT AN by Garry Graham, Sr. hile growing up in Brooklyn, New Why I Made a Choice to Make a Lasting Impact York at the Bethel Seventh-day WAdventist Church (SDA), every year a gentleman would come to visit during the Garry Graham, Sr., is a doctoral MPH? candidate in Community Health Adventist youth society hour (back then, it WHEN DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN Sciences at SUNY Downstae Public Health Defined was referred to as Missionary Volunteers) PUBLIC HEALTH? School of Public Health. He is also and talk about the dangers of smoking. His the father of Garry Graham, Jr., a “Public Health is the science of protecting Born in Manhattan while growing up in the presentation was different than all the other sophomore biochemistry major at and improving the health of people and suburbs of Long Island, New York, my family programs. He brought a mannequin that Oakwood University. their communities. This work is achieved by commuted weekly to Harlem to worship at the smoked, appropriately named Smoking Sam. promoting healthy lifestyles, researching Ephesus SDA Church for over 40 years. During This annual presentation influenced me in two specific ways. The disease and injury prevention, and detecting, my weekly commute, I saw first-hand the pain- first, I was convinced to never touch a cigarette. The second, is that he preventing and responding to infectious dis- ful disparities in health front and center. At the was able to use visual aids to teach about the dangers of smoking. I eases.” time, I didn't realize that God was preparing always wondered, how